An ironing mangle typically has a drum or roller which is at least partially received in a fixed pressing member that surrounds it through an arc of normally about 90.degree.. In order to press the items to be ironed radially against this counter member as the roller rotates, it is necessary to provide an elastic covering on the roller. U.S. Pat. No. 3,961,430 has suggested replacing the normal felt cover with a cover constituted by a relatively large elastic bag or bladder received within an inelastic element. This item is secured to the outer surface of the drum and wrapped completely around it. Such an arrangement has been found to have the considerable disadvantage that the covering bulges out at that location where the roller is not immediately juxtaposed with the counter member, so that it wears out rapidly and is only partially effective where it does press the items being ironed against the counter member.
It has also been suggested by French Pat. No. 1,394,281 to constitute the counter member as a sleeve which surrounds most of the roller. The combination of this arrangement with the above-described system of U.S. Pat. No. 3,961,430 has not been possible since it is necessary in accordance with the U.S. patent to let the pneumatic covering member bulge out at at least one location so that wrinkles are not present elsewhere in this pneumatic covering. If the pneumatic covering were confined over almost all of the roller such wrinkling would be inevitable and would appear in the items being ironed. Furthermore this system would make it very difficult to aspirate steam from inside the roller, and would similarly apply considerable stresses to the pneumatic covering that would assuredly very quickly wear it out.